Animal-poke



(No Model.)

D. R. SAUNDERS 8v J. E. WELLING.

ANIMAL POKE.

Patented Dec. 8, I885.

WITNESSES fi @uM fl MM W UNITE STATES ATE-NT QFFICE.

DAVID R. SAUNDERS AND JOHN E. \VELLING, OF LEESBURG, KENTUCKY.

ANlMAL-POKE.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,114, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed September 23, 1885. Serial No. 177,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID R. SAUNDERS and JOHN E. WELLING, both residing at Leesburg, in the county of Harrison and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AnimaLPokes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of our improved animal-poke, showing it attached to the neck of a horse. Fig. 2 is a plan view, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a longi tudinal sectional view, and Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the same on line or a, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Our invention has relation to that class of animal-pokes which consist of a yoke or collar having a bar pivoted at its lower end, projecting forward for the purpose of engaging the rails of a fence if the animal wearing it attempts to jump the fence; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the yoke, which consists of a bent strip of wood having slots B and Gin its ends, which slots are preferably re-enforced by slotted metallic strips or plates D. The crosspiece E, to which the poke-bar F is pivoted, has a hooked end, G, which is hooked into one of the slots, and the other end, H, of the crossbar has a downwardlyprojecting lip, I, at its end and a notch, J, in its upper edge, which notch may be engaged by a pivoted lockingplate orturn-button, K, upon the outer side of one end of the yoke above the slot, the said slot being as long as the end of the cross-piece with its lip is wide. The middle L of the cross-piece is round, and a bearing is formed upon the upper edge of the poke-bar by means of a strip, M, of metal or wood, which passes over the round portion of the cross-piece and forms one-half of the bearing by its bulge N, the lower half of the bearing being formed by a rounded recess, 0, in the poke-bar.

(N0 model.)

curved rear portion, Q, the bearing being at the point where the curves of the two portions pass into each other. The curved poke-bar is preferably re-enforced by means of a strip, It, of metal, which will protect the bar and retain its curve.

The bulged portion of the strip M, forming the upper half of the bearing, is formed with a longitudinal slot, S, in which a pin, T, slides, the said pin projecting from the round portion of the cross-piece, and the said pin will limit the play of the poke-bar, so that it will not be swung sufficiently high above the bars of a fence,when the animal is trying to jump a fence, to clear the bars of the fence and not engage them, while it at the same time will allow the poke-bar to be tilted sufiiciently upward to allow the animal to graze.

A cross-board, U, is secured upon the rear end of the poke-bar and has rearwardly-projecting prongsV and rectangular guide-loops WV at its ends. The ends of a block, X, play in these loops, and the block is provided with perforations Y, registering with the prongs, which project through them and allow the block to slide upon them, and a curved spring, Z, having perforations A for the prongs, is placed between the block and the cross-board, forcing the block out from it.

It will now be seen that when the animal tries to jump a fence or force its way through a fence the poke-bar will be engaged by the fence and will stop the animal, which will bear with its breast against the springcushioned block, which will be forced back, exposing the prongs, which will cause the animal pain and cause it to retire from the fence. In this man ner the poke will cause the animal trying to jump or break through a fence sufficient pain to cause it to desist, while it at the same time will not injure the animal, and by reason of the poke-bars being curved it will engage the rails of a fence more readily than when it is straight, although the bar may be straight, if desired, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Changes in the several parts of the poke may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention-such as applying the curved poke-bar to a different form of yoke, dispensing with the pronged cross-board, or other similar changes which will suggest themselves to persons using the poke and desiring to change it to suit various animals according to their various habits.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of the yoke having longitudinal slots in its ends, the cross-piece having one hooked end passing through the slot and engaging one end of the yoke, and the other end formed with a downwardly-projecting lip and with a notch in its upper edge, and a locking-plate or turn-button pivoted upon the opposite end of the yoke and entering the notch,

as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the yoke having longitudinal slots in its ends, of a cross-piece 20 having notches near its ends, and means, as described, for retaining said cross-piece in said slots, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as 2 5 

